Cancer Types Treated

Many cancer types are treated with chemotherapy using fluoropyrimidine including:

• Gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer, anal cancer, some stomach cancers
• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Head and neck cancer

Other cancers also receive this treatment:

• Hepatobiliary cancers (liver or gallbladder)
• Ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancers
• Neuroendocrine (islet cell tumors)
• Pancreatic cancer

Chemotherapy may be given through a tube placed in a vein as an intravenous (IV) medication or with a pill taken by mouth. The IV form, 5-fluorouracil, is given either continuously over days or as one dose over minutes. The pill, capecitabine, may be taken twice a day.

Topical 5FU (cream) used to treat skin cancer is not associated with heart damage.